Doha: An earthquake measuring 5 magnitude on the Richter scale struck Tuesday, east of the Tonga Islands in the South Pacific Ocean: The quake occurred 177 kilometers west of Hihifo at a depth of 324.4 kilometers beneath the Earth’s surface, the US Geological Survey reported.

According to Qatar News Agency, there have been no reports of human loss or material damage as a result of the earthquake. Tonga is an archipelago of 176 scattered islands in the South Pacific Ocean, of which only 52 are inhabited. It is located in northwest New Zealand and Australia.